


Caught At the Turnpike

by CatheterHeads31790



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe- No Supernatural, Bickering, M/M, Puppy Love, Relationship(s), Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-20
Updated: 2016-12-08
Packaged: 2018-08-16 05:38:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 4,845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8089276
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CatheterHeads31790/pseuds/CatheterHeads31790
Summary: “You come up with an excuse yet as to why we’re late?” 	“Who said we need an excuse?” Derek lifted his bushy brows with curious interest.	“Well I don’t know Derek, the whole point of a surprise party is to, you know, to be there for the surprise. I’m sure my phones slowly filling up with ‘where the hell are you? Can’t believe you're late’ texts from Allison.”	“If you were this worried about it then maybe you shouldn’t have waited until the last minute to buy a birthday gift.”	“It snuck up on me okay? It was supposed to be a night out at the bars but at the last minute they decided to have it at the house instead, and I couldn’t very well show up without one, I’m the gift giving master in case you weren’t aware.”	“Is that so?” Derek chuckled. “You had me fooled, it only took you every store on the block to find something.”	“That’s because I couldn’t just get anything, I was waiting for something to jump out at me.”	“And a giant bean bag was the thing that jumped out at you huh?” They both paused to look at the giant multi colored wrapped box riding next to them.
(P.S. Rough snippet from my first go at this plot, story has been revised since)





	1. 1

_ pat pat pat pat pat _

The sounds of boney knuckles making their announcement sounded on Derek’s front door. If Derek hadn’t already known who it was, the knocks were a dead giveaway; sporadically loud and jumpy just like the person they belonged to. He took a slow calm breath as he stared into the bathroom mirror, preparing as best as he could for tonight's festivities.  _ pat pat pat _ , the pesky knocks chimed in again. Derek took a strong inhale, bounding up all the air he could possibly fit into his chest before slowly exhaling and making his way to the front door. A string bean figure stood masked by the wavy fogged glass, swaying back and forth with what Derek had come to know as a mixture of impatience and child-like enthusiasm.

“Hello Stiles.” He opened the door. His face stayed perfectly motionless like a freeze framed picture as he took in the polar opposite chummy smile the freckle peppered guy had on his own. 

“Hey Derek, I can tell you’re glad to see me like always.” Stiles batted his eyebrows as if he was congratulating himself for his own sarcastic remark.

“Are you ready to go?” Derek stayed nudged between the doorframe, now crossing his arms together in unamused solitude. 

“Absolutely... _ but _ ,” Stiles strained his words as he awaited the inevitable eye roll from Derek.

“This is why you’re always late to everything.” Derek remarked in a knowing tone as Stiles continued to scratch the back of his neck just itching to get in his explanation.

“ _ No _ . I was perfectly ready when I was heading out the door, but then I got a text from Allison. She said not enough people chipped in for the party bus, and that now they’re foregoing it altogether. Instead of going to the bars, they decided just to have a party at the house, and you know what that means Derek? Presents! That’s what it means! And guess who doesn’t have a present? This guy! And there’s no stinkin’ way I can just show up without one, I’ll lose my title as the gift giving master! so…” His eyes were puppy dog big but Derek knew he wasn’t even pleading, more like expecting.

“So now I have to help you get one? Stiles that could take forever knowing you.” 

“Which is exactly why I need your help laser brains.” He crossed his arms to mirror Derek. the two sat in a dueling stare off. The sound of cars strolling by in the street and little kids wrapping up their games and going home for the night surrounded them before Derek broke the stubborn silence.

“Fine, let’s make this quick.” He swiftly grabbed his coat off the rack and locked the door while Stiles sat with a victorious grin.

“Sure thing buddy.” His words were reassuring but they both knew this was going to be anything but a quick task. The worst part of all was that Derek wasn’t too sure that he actually minded, but he’d never admit that.


	2. Chapter 2

“You know, I wouldn’t mind if you wanted to, oh I don’t know...take turns with this.” Stiles puffed as they treaded down the city sidewalk.

“I told you I wasn’t going to help you with that thing if you got it. There were all those other stores on the block with all those other gifts I had pointed out that would have been a lot easier to transport.” He didn’t even try to hide the enjoyment he got from rubbing this in his face, practically glowing as he watched Stiles struggle with the gift.

“That’s because I couldn’t just get  _ anything _ , I was waiting for something to jump out at me.”

“And a giant bean bag was the thing that jumped out at you huh?” Stiles paused to get a better handle on the giant box wrapped in various wrapping paper that was encompassing almost the entirety of his body. His long fingers sprawling to dig into the side like a badgers paw.

“Yeah Derek it did, because who wouldn’t want an enormous fluff ball bean bag?” He heaved his words as he fumbled with the box once again. “This is what the hardship of being the master gift giver looks like okay?” 

“Which is exactly why you’re bearing that hardship alone.” Derek teased but reached a hand out to stabilize the box as he saw it tilting forward closer and closer to the ground. 

“You just love to watch me suffer, don’t you?” 

“No not exactly, but it is pretty amusing.” 

“Are we there yet?” Stiles asked exasperated. “We have to be getting close.” Derek could tell his patience was growing thin as he whined.

“Yeah, we passed it a block ago. I was curious to see how long you could keep this up.”  Stiles jaw went slack and a soft whimper of disbelief escaped his lips. Derek couldn’t subdue his devious smile anymore and let out a few short chuckles much to Stiles growing furiation. 

“This is why we don’t hang out often. You can carry this now funny guy.” He crossed his arms stubbornly. It was times like these when Derek confused him, one moment he’s a menacing brick wall of grumpy and the next he’s giggling to himself like frickin jolly old saint nick. Those hazel eyes bright and yielding, oozing a certain kind of calm-cool that Stiles possessed none of.  It was indeed a mystery that they even hung out at times like these; it was an intricate story on how they met, and he supposed there were even more intricate of reasons to explain why they couldn’t seem but help to bother one another with their presences. 

“Fine, come on let’s get to it.” Derek said as he picked up the box and held it to his body with one hand, making a point to let Stiles see how effortless it was for him.

“Oh fuck off.” Stiles flipped him off as they bounded down the path again, Derek staying quiet but keeping the cocky grin on his face. “Now we’re even more late than we would have been.” Stiles complained annoyed.

“I’m sure no one will even notice.” Derek soothed out.

“Yeah, sure, whatever you say.”


	3. Chapter 3

“Half an hour late? Really guys? What the hell happened? I texted you only a thousand times.” The two stood at the doorstep of the house as Allison sat in the doorway with a firm hand on her hip.

“We brought a present?” Derek tried to offer weakly, he looked over to find Stiles eyes glaring at him, the box sat before him shielding the rest of his figure.

“Whatever, come in,  _ you guys _ can explain this to Lydia.” She huffed with exasperation and disappeared into the house the clinking of her heels mixing into the melting pot of people chatting and swelling music.

“ _ No one will even notice _ .” Stiles mimicked Derek’s words.

“Shut up Stiles.” Derek glared back before leaving Stiles to struggle with the task of getting the gift past the way narrow doorway.

“Well, well, well, If it isn’t the late duo, I was starting to think you weren’t going to show altogether.” Lydia spoke as soon as the two entered into the house, her arms crossed and a stare that just told you she was going to enjoy wringing them out for this.

“Hey Lydia! What happened you see is that,” Stiles began, trying his best to emphasize the already obvious box before him all the while trying to look over the damn thing so he could broadcast the most charming face he could manage 

“Don’t try to lie to me Stilinski, you’re talking to a girl here; I have a built in radar for lies.” Stiles face went blank with the realization that he was most likely not going to get away with this. Damn Lydia and her ability to see through anything and anyone. He quickly wondered if it wasn’t too late to duck behind the box and make a dash for it.

“It was my fault Lydia.” Derek interjected before Stiles could get out another word.

“Oh?” Both Lydia and Stiles looked at Derek with dumbfounded amusement.

“I...got caught up on some artwork and ended up rushing it and nearly ruined the whole thing so I... asked Stiles to help me fix it before we got here. It ended up taking up more time than I had expected. I apologize.” He raised his shoulders sheepishly as Lydia blinked in silence.

“Well, I suppose I can forgive that,” She was still trying to process his claim. “But don’t think that lets you off the hook.” She pointed her fingers playfully.

“Of course.” 

“Alright, well you’re here now, and that’s all that matters so enjoy.” She unbundled her arms and took the box from Stiles without signs of struggle as Stiles stood like a statue with his mouth agape, still caught in a cluster of confusion.  

“What was that?” Stiles questioned.

“That was me taking the fall, you’re welcome.” 

“That’s very...un-Derek of you…” He stated with suspicious curiosity, and he wasn’t wrong. Derek had no intentions of being the fallman when they had walked into the house but, when he saw Stiles seething in his skin anxiously what he could only explain as his instincts, had jumped into action.

“Yeah, so don’t take it for granted.” He said bleakly, pushing past him to walk out to the backyard. Stiles sat still in blind confusion as the cogs in his head tried to unravel the extremely unlikely set of events he had just miraculously survived.

 


	4. Chapter 4

“Derek is that you?” He had just made it out onto the wooden patio when the voice boomed smoothly rolling along his shoulders. Making him seize with tension as he prayed that his ears were mistakenly faulty and deciphering those wavelengths incorrectly.

“Kate.” Derek’s voice took on a harsh grain as the slim figure slinked into his eyesight. Her ebony hair wrapped around her shoulders like a mink coat, eyes sparking like fireworks set off at dangerously close proximity.

“Oh wow, it’s been such a long time, hasn’t it? How are you doing Derey?”  Even with the tangled webs of lights dangling above the fenced in backyard Kate still seemed to lurk in the casting shadows of the moon, looking just as tantalizing dangerous as she always had.

“Let’s skip the bullshit Kate, did you know I was going to be here and purposely came to fuck with me or is that just a perk for you?”

“Derek!” She put up a billowing shade of shock as if Derek’s aggression was a startling surprise. “Such hostility. I thought we could’ve moved past this by now.”

“The last time I saw you, I was chained up to a bed and watching you leave as the kitchen caught fire.” His words were so intense he could practically feel the hate spilling out of them.

“I swear I had no idea that there was a fire, honest! I don’t even know how a fire could have started. I mean we were pretty  _ preoccupied _ if you remember?” She released her innocent stance to play with the straw from the drink she was sipping.

“I remember perfectly, and if it weren’t for the nosey lady in the room next door I would’ve burned in that hotel room.”

“Derek, always the brooding dramatic.” She gave a brash chuckle before patting his shoulder. “ Well, I didn’t mean to bother, just wanted to see how you were doing, still in immaculate shape I see.” She bit down on her lip seductively making Derek recoil instinctively as if with every word she injected him with poison. She giggled once again before slowly walking away, making sure Derek was as unnerved as physically possible.

Kate wasn’t his first love but there was no denying she was his worst. She seemed innocent and kind when they had first met, she was playful, doting, and made Derek feel at ease in any situation. Something he was not occasionally used to because Derek was a very shielded man. Yet somehow Kate was always able to pry him open, but as he soon learned, there was always a price to pay in return. A few months into dating he started to see another side of Kate, she was vicious, deceitful, and most of all selfish. He tried to deny it for as long as he could but watching her slit the wheels on bikes as they took walks through the city, putting laxatives in his drinks every time he had a conversation with another woman, and coming home after long nights at work to find his door lock picked and her frying fish from his aquarium on the stove he quickly realized Kate was a fahrenheit level psychopath.

Derek was someone who could handle a lot but for one of the first times in his life, he had started to fear for his safety. He tried to cut it off as best as possible but things didn’t go nearly as smoothly as he thought they might have. A knot wrestles itself in his throat as he thinks about it now. Kate had seemed to take it pretty well at first, calm and receptive, unfazed even. The only thing she asked for in return was that they share one last day together, so they could both get the closure they need, and that seemed simple enough for Derek. What could it hurt right? Well apparently him. He abided all her wishes for the night, even when she asked if she could tie him up once they got back to the hotel room they had rented for one last coupling. But when she climbed off of him with her last words, “Careful who you fuck with Derek, you never know who might get burned.” And lit the stuffed animal he had won for her that night on fire on top of the running stove he knew he had astronomically fucked up. His blood was beyond boiling as he stood there in the backyard reflecting on all of this now and the only two things he could fathom through his mind was  _ I need to hit something _ and  _ I need a drink _ .

“I’ve got bad news for you buddy.” Stiles started as Derek approached the kitchen isle Stiles was standing next to. The entire counter top was flowing with all different contraptions of alcoholic beverages that he no doubt was ready to partake in.

“I already saw her.” Derek spoke low and monotone, not directly looking at Stiles but instead taking the time to ponder through the liquor bottles. None of them seemed to hit his eye, where was all the damn whiskey?

“Oh, you did?” Stiles perked upright, cautious not to come on too strong knowing if he pushed too hard Derek would avoid the topic altogether. “How’d that go?”

“I think I might’ve sprained my hand.” He said it plainly as if he was talking about someone else far away.

“Um, huh?” 

“I may have punched the side of the house a few times.” Derek brought his hand up above the table and looked in amusement at the thick blood starting to dry and stain among the broken skin.

“Jesus christ Derek,” Stiles exclaimed as he reached out for Derek’s hand to further examine it. His hand had taken a beating, he could already picture the scene in his head, Derek winding up all the force in his body and smacking his fist against the hard brick wall. Walking away as if nothing had happened, like some malevolent force had whisked by and then disappeared.

“It’s fine, I can barely feel it.” Stiles looked back at him with stern disbelief.

“Oh bullshit, this shit’s going to need stitches!” 

“No, it’ll heal on it’s own.” Derek pushed Stiles hands away fiercely and tucked his hand back out of sight and hopefully out of mind.

“ _ Yes _ way, hold on I’ll go get Allison, she knows how to do these kinds of things.” he flailed his arms in a frustration and began to scout around the room to see any signs of her.

“ _ No _ Stiles.” He hissed as his jaw clenched to further his demanding tone.

 


	5. Chapter 5

30 minutes later.  
“See was that so bad?” Derek glared up at Stiles from the chair he was perched at. Allison snipping the last stitch with a steady hand, doing so with such clarity as if she did things like this everyday.  
“Yes.” Derek grumbled looking down at the numerous green stitches that were now zig zagged along his knuckles.  
“Apologies by the way, I didn’t even think when I invited Kate. I know she can be a little tough to swallow sometimes.” Allison stated.  
“Pssh yeah she’s about as subtle as trying to swallow an entire unplucked turkey down your throat.” Stiles scoffed.  
“Stiles,” Derek hissed, trying not to be rude to Allison of whom he really didn’t have much relation to, meanwhile his phone started to vibrate in his pocket. The screen illuminating itself through his jeans as they all stopped to stare.  
“Oh I’d like to see this magic trick.” Stiles sneered seeing that the phone was located in his right pocket and watching as Derek fumbled to grasp it without hitting his stitches.  
“Well this just moved out of my expertise..” Allison said playfully as she got up from the table and left to put the medical kit away.  
“I didn’t just sit through 30 minutes of stitches to rip them open trying to get my phone.” Derek snarled at Stiles. This was the very last thing he’d ever want to ask anyone, especially Stiles.  
“Okay fine, ya big baby.” Stiles moved over to Derek’s side, looking at the pocket and maneuvered his hand around awkwardly.  
“Oh my god Stiles will you just,” Derek snapped.  
“I’m trying! I just don’t want to you know…” He paused. “Hit anything.” His pale skin was quickly starting to flush a violent fuschia as he realized how truly awkward this was becoming and the only thing he had to reconcile his increasing heartbeat was the sight of Derek’s cheeks slightly beaming red as well.  
“For god’s sake just,” Before he could finish Stiles shot his hand into his pocket and quickly produced the phone for Derek with a halfwit smile. Derek only tried his best to glare with hot cheeks as he seized his phone and answered.  
“Hello?” Stiles tilted his face near the phone to snoop, slowly letting his composure slip back into existence. “It’s for you.” Derek sighed before handing it over. “You really need to charge your phone.”  
“Scott?” Stiles answered ignoring Derek’s comment. “ Oh hey man. Yeah Lydia said you’d stopped by before we got here, where the hell are you? The what? That’s tonight? Of course I can make it are you kidding? Derek’s with me though, does that matter? Yeah I know right?” Derek’s eyebrows jumped, it wasn’t unusual to feel like the third wheel whenever Scott and Stiles got together. They’d been friends before Derek had entered the picture and although Scott was always busy nowadays that didn’t stop the slight jealousy he felt whenever he watched Scott and Stiles joke around like little kids on a playground. “Okay, yeah sure thing buddy, see you soon.” Stiles finished up and turned the phone back over to Derek, his face glowing with giddiness like he was still sixteen and about to touch his first boob.  
“Do I even want to know?” Derek asked.  
“You and me just got plans for later big guy.” Stiles gave a mischievous smile.  
“Nothing good ever comes out of that smile you know?”  
“Counting on it.” He laughed.


	6. Chapter 6

“Please tell me getting ice cream isn’t your idea of plans.” Derek tucked his hands tightly into his leather jacket.  
“Of course not, but it is a necessary ingredient to any plan. I mean can it really be a good night if ice cream isn’t involved?” Stiles jumbled with giving the man in the colorful spray painted food truck cash in one hand and grasping the cone in the other.  
“Whatever you say.” Derek looked up past the looming trees in the park to the constellations hanging in the sky. The accompanying sound of Stiles practically inhaling his cone flooded into his ears as they continued on down the dimly lit path. Lightning bugs floating by their faces in scattered rhythms. “I’ve never actually showed you any of my artwork before have I?” Derek’s words made Stiles stop frantically and practically crushed his cone in his hand.  
“Are you admitting that you actually do art?” Stiles beamed as he tilted his head teasingly.  
“Don’t make me regret this.” Derek moaned.  
“Alright, okay,” Stiles tried his best to straighten out his face. “No, Derek. I’ve never seen any of your art. What kind of art is it? there’s a lot you know: graffiti, sculpting, photography, oh wait, please tell me it’s something absolutely hysterical like cross stitch, dear god let it be cross stitch.” He begged happily bouncing up and down.  
“It’s painting.” He said ignoring Stiles giddiness.   
“Ah, can’t say I ever pegged you for a painter Derek Hale. Do rugged hands usually do well with painting?”   
“Rugged?” Derek glanced at him before dismissing the comment. “It’s an old hobby. Nothing serious. But if you’d like, I could show you sometime.” His throat condensed tightly like a water bottle being crumpled. He hadn’t realized until the words had come out how raw they had sounded and how inviting he was being. This and of all the people he was saying it to the creature walking beside him vigorously slurping down on an ice cream cone like a dog licking peanut butter.  
“Awh, see I knew there was a soft side in there; we’re making progress.” Stiles rubbed his arm against Derek’s playfully sending Derek to nudge back aggressively in defense. Stiles fumbled with his footing and tripped over the cobblestone pathway, the top of his cone splattering to the ground. “Derek!” He let out an enigmatic squeal. “So much for progress.” He mumbled as Derek chuckled aloud sending his head sailing to the sky. “Oh so that gets you to laugh? Pssh, you owe me another one now I hope you know, strawberry cheesecake ice cream doesn’t grow on trees.”  
“Yeah, I’m sure that’ll happen.” Derek continued to snicker before his ears caught the sound of rapid music booming not too far away. “What the hell is that?”  
“That’s where the fun begins.” Stiles dropped the rest of his melted cone into a nearby trash can and looked back at Derek with a childish grin. “Hey Derek? have you ever heard of a little thing called Seezapoluza?”


	7. Chapter 7

“Woah there pipsqueak, where do you think you’re going?” A tall man built like he was made of reinforced iron put a hand out to Stiles chest causing him to stop mid-pace.

“Uh, we’re going up to the roof.” Stiles talked frankly as he tried to maneuver from the man's iron stiff hand. 

“This is a private party son, you need a wristband in order to get access to the rooftop and it doesn’t look like you have one now do you?” The man scoffed, keeping his ruthless hand on Stiles chest.

“I don’t think you understand.” Stiles tried to laugh of his remarks. “My friend Scott invited me to this party, he didn’t tell me we needed wristbands but if you could just let me talk to him I’m sure he could straighten this whole thing out for ya, okay big guy so…” He backed up and gave another attempt at scooting past the bulky brawn.

“No can do punk, no wristband, no access.” He stood firm with his hulking back leaned up against the doorway. 

“Hey now look grandpa colossus,” Stiles was ready to start tearing into the older man before Derek interjected. 

“I apologize sir,” He shoved Stiles behind him and put on as pleasant of a smile as he could bare. “What my friend is trying to say is that, if you could just relay a message to our friend so that he knows we’re here, that’d be great.” Stiles gawked in disgust at the unnaturally forced smile Derek was trying to sell.

“You guys ever hear of a thing called a phone? I’m not one, and I’m not getting paid enough to sit here and mingle with you two, so keep it moving, now.”

“Well that’d work except both of our phone’s have died so, we really have no other way of getting in contact with our friend.”

“Not my problem buddy,” His face was still stone cold and his tone was truding the line of aggression. 

“There’s gotta be something, we can buy our way in right? look how much is it?” He pulled out his wallet from his back pocket and started to dig into the crevices to pull out the allotted amount when the guy boomed back,

“I don’t know if you’re deaf or stupid, judging by the looks of ya I’m guessing both. If you wanted to pay then you should have bought the wristbands when they were on sale, now they’re not. I'm not going to tell you to get out of my face again maggot, go find somewhere else to pester someone who actually gives a shit.” The guy sneered as he pushed Derek aside and addressed the next people in the forming line behind them. 

“You should have just let me tear into him,” Stiles laughed mockingly while a darkening expression now started to set itself upon Derek’s face. “Look, it’s not that big a deal, we can try to find a telephone booth around here and just call Scott and let him know there was a little problem getting in. They still have those things right? Man I hope I can remember Scott’s number.” Stiles continued to babble while Derek turned his attention back onto the bouncer with an intense glare.

“Someone who gives a shit huh?” Derek grumbled.

“Derek? Uh, buddy are you listening to me?” Stiles watched with puzzled eyes as Derek reproached the brick wall this time with fiercely threatening eyes.

“Oh come on motherfucker, I told you get scram.” The guy heaved out a cocky laugh.

“I don’t think you understood me, we are going up to that rooftop, and you are going to let us.”

“Oh is that so Dr. Doom? Look, I don’t want to break that pretty boy face of yours so why don’t you do yourself a favor and,” Before he could get out another word Derek swung his stitched up hand towards the man’s face. The single blow sent the man slack jawed and tumbling down to the cold brick sidewalk with a loud smack. Stiles darted his head around rapidly with an open mouth and bulging eyes to make sure he wasn’t the only one who had just witnessed the event. 

“Well would you look at that.” Derek let a tiny smirk paint itself across his face. “Looks like everyone gets to go to the rooftop.” He snorted as the people waiting in the line looked at him in awe before bursting into a convulsion of cheers and hollering making their way to the entrance door. Derek watched as the horde started escalating up the stairs and Stiles gathered next to his side.

“You know sometimes I realize you might actually be a clinically proven nutso.” Stiles chirped.

“Well, this nutso just got you rooftop access.” Derek smiled as he joined the group of strangers climbing to the roof. Stiles looked at the knocked out bouncer, heaved his shoulders and muttered “Dickhead.” before joining Derek. “ That guy was something else.” Stiles remarked, passing Derek casing up the tiny stairwell and looking back over his shoulder with a grin.

“I’ll agree with you on that one.” 

“That was great, I mean you practically growled at the guy. He totally deserved it though. I told him I was with scott, I don’t know why he was being such a prick about it, like what a sorry excuse for a bouncer; if you can even call him that. And you just, wham! shut him right up, wow I can’t believe you did that!” Stiles laughed, budging the stranger next to him to laugh along as if he had any idea what the two were talking about.

Derek kept it to himself, but he was actually quite pleased watching Stiles fawn over the event like he had just become his superhero or something of the other. His temper had gotten the best of him once again, and that’s usually something he’d scorn himself for on any other occasion. But this time he’d make an exception because unlike most of the times this one might have been for the better. This time he hadn’t acted out to help himself out, he’d done it for someone else, done it for Stiles. To him that was both terrifying and satisfying at the same time.


End file.
